Suction cleaner



1965 o. H. VOEGELI ETAL 3,200,432

SUCTION CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1962 1965 D. H. VOEGELIETAL 3,200,432

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Aug. 14, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent ()ffice Patented Aug. 17, 1965 3,200,432 SUCTT'UN CLEANER DonaldH. Voegeli, Turtle Creek, 1a., and George F. Earahet, North Canton,Ghio, assignors to The Hoover Company, North (Ianton, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 216,772 15 Claims.(Cl. 15323) The present invention relates to canister type suctioncleaners and more particularly to storing all of the cleaning tools andthe hose completely within the cleaner, the hose at all times beingconnected in operative relation to the suction air inlet.

An object of the invention is to provide a suction cleaner having a baseand a cover therefor, the base including means for supporting a suctioncreating unit, a filter bag and means for storing a hose connected tothe filter bag, the cover when opened exposing the hose storing meansfor arranging the hose thereon in storage position. Another object is toprovide the foregoing suction cleaner with a hose opening whereby thecover may be closed while the hose is connected to the filter bag withthe unstored hose projecting through the opening to perform the cleaningoperations. A further object is to provide a suction cleaner having abase in which is mounted suction creating means, a cover for the baseand a pocket on the cover arranged adjacent to the suction creatingmeans for storing an electric cord. Still another object is to providethe foregoing suction cleaner with means for supporting cleaning toolson the cover, the cord pocket being arranged with respect to the toolsfor ready access to the pocket to removably store the electric cordtherein. Other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the suction cleaner showing the coverclosed and the hose connected to a surface cleaning tool,

FIGURE 2 is a section along the line 2-2 in FIG- URE 3,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the cover in opened position withthe hose coiled on the cleaner base and the electric cord and cleaningtools supported on the cleaner cover,

FIGURE 4 is a broken view partly in section showing the opened coverattached to the base and the cord pocket in the cover, and

FIGURE 5 is a broken top view of the cleaner base with the coverremoved.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises a cleanerbody including a base 11 and a cover 12. The base 11 is substantiallyrectangular and has a lower metal section 13 on which is secured asupport or bulkhead 14, the joint therebetween being covered by afurniture guard 15. The cleaner is supported at its forward end on acastor 16 and at at its rear end by two spaced wheels 17, the castor 16and wheels 17 being suitably attached to the bottom wall 18 of the base11. A carrying handle 11 is attached to the base 11.

The bulkhead 14 is formed of plastic and has a platform 211 encircled byupwardly and downwardly projecting opposite side walls 21, a rear wall22 and a front wall 23. The platform 21) has a rear housing portion 24and a front portion 25 provided with a rectangular opening 26. Theopening 26 is closed by a plastic cover 27 provided with an integralplastic hinge 28, the stationary portion of the latter being rigidlysecured to the platform 211. The platform 21 including the rear housingportion 24 and cover 27 together with the bulkhead walls 21, 22 and 23,cooperates with the lower base section 13 to form a chamber 29 in whichis arranged a dirt filtering bag 36 and a suction creating motor-fanunit 31. The

cover 27 is provided with a combined handle and latch 32 for locking thecover in airtight relation with the platform 20 and for lifting thecover to its open position to expose the opening 26 for access to thechamber 29. The filter bag may be supported on a suitable bracket 33 inthe base section 13. The suction creating motorfan unit 31 has its inlet34 communicating with the chamber 29 and discharges air under pressurethrough an opening 35 in the base section 13. An electric cord 36 forthe motor-fan unit 31 extends from the bulkhead as indicated at 37 andwhen connected by a suitable plug to a source of current is adapted toextend through either one of the cord slots 38 formed in the upper edgeof the bulkhead side walls 21. A switch 39 mounted on the base section13 controls the supply of current to the motorfan unit 31.

The cover 27 for the bag chamber 29 is provided with a suction air inlet40 in which is rotatably connected an elbow 41 forming the inner end ofa hose 42, the outer end of which terminates in a rigid tubular portion43 rotatably attached at 44 to the flexible portion 45 of the hose. Thehose elbow 41 communicates with the filter bag 30 to conduct dirt-ladenair thereto. Formed on the cover 27 adjacent the suction air inlet 40 isa projecting hose coiling guide 46 having an oifset upwardly inclinedportion 47 adjacent the hose elbow 41 to prevent reverse coiling of thehose and thereby direct the initial coiling of the hose in the directionof the arrow 48 around the projection 46. The top surface of the cover27 may be provided with an upwardly projecting rib 49 to assist inarranging a hose 42 in a spiral around the projection 46. The coiledhose 42 is supported on the upper surface of the bag chamber cover 27and the rigid tubular end 43 of the hose is arranged in the recess 50 onthe bulkhead 14 formed by an end wall 51 of the housing 24 and theadjacent walls of the platform 20 and side and rear walls 21 and 22respectively of the bulkhead.

The front wall 23 of the bulkhead 14 is provided with an elongatedmarginal hose opening 52 having opposed vertical walls 53 and a bottomwall 54, the latter being substantially in the plane of the chambercover 27. The upper edge 55 of the peripheral walls of the bulkhead 14rises from the platform 20 to extend above the top plane of the hose 42when it is coiled in stored position on the bag chamber cover 27. Thehose opening 52 is of relatively great length so that the hose mayextend from the suction air inlet 40 and through the opening 52 formanipulating the cleaner body 10 on its wheels while the cleaner cover12 is in closed position, as shown in FIG- URE 1.

The cleaner cover 12 for the base 11 is formed of plastic and comprisesa top wall 56 from which depends opposed side walls 57, a rear wall 58and a front wall 59, the lower peripheral edge 60 of the depending wallsabutting the upper edge 55 of the bulkhead 14 when the cover is inclosed position. of the cover 12 cooperates with the bulkhead verticalwalls 53 to complete the hose opening 52 when the cover is closed.

The cover 12 is pivotally secured to the base 11 by a pair of L-shapedhinges 62 each of which has an upper arm 63 rigidly attached to a fiange64 on each of the cover side walls 57, and the lower arm 65 of eachhinge is rotatably mounted at 66 on the bulkhead 14. It will be notedthat the arm 63 of each hinge 62 is secured to the cover 12 inwardly ofthe rear wall 58, and the pivotal axis 66 of the hinges 62 is below thetop edge 55 of the bulkhead 14, whereby when the cover 12 is moved toits opened vertical position the rear wall 58 is displaced downwardlybelow the top edge of the bulkhead 14 to appreciably reduce the verticalextent of the cover 12 rela- The portion 61 in the front wall 59 tive tothe base 11. In providing the offset hinges 62 the center of gravity ofthe cover 12 is lowered considerably when in opened vertical position incomparison to hinging the rear wall 58 of the cover 12 directly to therear Wall 22 of the bulkhead 14. The cover 12 is locked in closedposition by a latch including a keeper 67 on the cover and a suitablespring biased lever 68 mounted on the front wall 23 of the bulkhead 14.

The length of the lower arm 65 of each hinge 62 and the position of therear edge 69 of the cord slots 38 is so arranged that when the cover 12is closed the hinge upper arms 63 are positioned forwardly of the rearedge 69 of the cord slots 38, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4. Ifthe cover 12 is open and the electric cord 36 is resting on the upperedge 55 of the base 11 rearwardly of either one of the cord slots 38 andthe cover is then moved to closed position, the hinge lower arm 65,curved portion 76 and the upper arm 63 will engage the cord and shiftthe latter forwardly into one of the slots 33 to prevent injuring thecord by being clamped between the edges 60 and 55 of the cover and thebase.

Cooperating with the cover rear wall 58, top Wall 56 and side walls 57is a member 71 which forms a pocket 72 having a top access opening 73for storing the electric cord ber 75. The cord 36 has the usual electricplug and is provided with indicia at 77 adjacent the cord anchor 37 onthe bulkhead 14 to inform the operator that the cord should not be woundon the member 65 beyond the mark 77. The remaining loose or unwound cordis of sufficient length to allow depositing the reel 75 into the pocket72. If desired, the reel 75 may be omitted and the cord looped into ahank to the indicia 77 and deposited in the pocket 72. When the cover 12is in opened position the pocket 72, being at the rear end of the cover12, is arranged adjacent to the motor-fan unit 31 and the fixed point 37of the cord 36 so that the length of loose cord between the pocket 72and the point 37 on the bulkhead 14 is of the least possible extent.

Structure is also provided for storing all of the cleaning tools alongthe interior surface of the cover 12. FIGURE 3 illustrates thearrangement of the tools including a wand 7 8, dusting brush 79,furniture brush 80, carpet-floor brush 31 and a crevice tool 82. All ofthe tools are removably attached to the interior surface of the cover 12by suitable clamps 83 and 84-, the latter supporting one end of thecarpet-floor brush 81. The elongated wand 78 extends diagonally of thecover 12 and has one end seated in the cord pocket 72. The dusting brush79 and furniture brush 80 are arranged to the left of the wand 78, asviewed in FIGURE 3, and the carpet-fioor brush 81 and crevice tool 82 tothe right of the Wand. It will be noted that the arrangement of thetools relative to the entrance 73 to the cord pocket 72 is such that thecord reel '75, or looped cord, can be removably deposited in the pocket72 Without disturbing any of the attached cleaning tools.

The cleaner when not in use has all of its cleaning tools stored withinthe cleaner cover 12 and the hose 42 is coiled on the bag chamber cover27 as shown in FIGURE 3, and the cleaner cover retained in closedposition by the latch 68 as in FIGURE 1. closet or the like by beingupended to a vertical position with the rear end walls of the cover 12and base 11 resting on a supporting surface.

When it is desired to use the cleaner the latter is transported by thehandle 19 to the desired location and the wheels 16-17 placed upon thesupporting surface. The latch lever 68 is manipulated so that the cover12 can be raised to its vertical opened position shown in FIG- URE 3 toexpose all of the tools, electric cord and hose. The operator grasps therigid free end 43 of the hose 42 and manipulates it to uncoil the hosefrom about the guide 46 on the chamber cover 27. The swivel joint 44between the rigid end 43 and the flexible portion 45 of the hoseprevents the latter from twisting as it is being uncoiled. Thereafterthe operator removes the wand 73 from the cover 12 and attaches it tothe hose end 43, and then one of the desired cleaning tools, for example81, is detached from the clamps 33-84 on the cover 12 and secured to thewand 73. The cord reel '75, or the banked cord, is lifted upwardly outof the cord pocket 72 and the coiled cord is unwound and its plugconnected to the source of current. The cover 12 is then moved to itsclosed position and the hose projects through the opening 52 in cleaneroperating condition as indicated in FIG- URE 1.

The operator manipulates the tool 81 by the wand 78 over the surfacebeing cleaned and the hose elbow 41 rotates in the inlet 46communicating with the filter bag 30, and when the hose 42 abuts eitherof the vertical walls 53 of the hose opening 52 the cleaner body 10 willbe shifted on its w eels 1647 in the desired direction. The motor-fanunit 31 creates suction in the chamber 29, which suction is communicatedthrough the hose 42 to the nozzle 81 and as a result the dirt removedfrom the surface being cleaned is conducted into the filter bag 30, andthe filtered air is discharged from the cleaner body through the opening35. If another cleaning tool is required the cover 12 is easily openedand the carpet-floor brush 81 returned to its location and the desiredtool detached from the cover 12 and connected to the wand 73.

When the cleaning operation is completed the cover 12 is raised to itsvertical opened position and the used tool and wand are disconnectedfrom the hose 42 and replaced in their proper positions on the cover 12.The cover 12 being opened exposes the platform 2%} and the helical rib49 to the view of the operator for coiling the hose 42 about the guide46. The hose 42 is stored on the chamber cover 27 by grasping the rigidend 43 of the hose to coil the latter in the direction of the arrow 43as shown in FIGURE 3, and the swivel joint 44 in the hose 42 preventsthe latter from becoming twisted. The rigid portion 43 of the hose isarranged along one of the side walls 21 of the support 14 and theextreme end is seated in the recess 59 whereby the hose when coiled isarranged in one plane on the support 14. The coiling of the hose is aneasily performed operation because the area about the coiling guide 46is completely exposed so that the operator can stand erect and arrangethe hose on the support 14.. If the operator should attempt to coil thehose in the reverse direction, the hose would rest on the rearwardlyupwardly extending ramp 47 and be arranged above the guide 46 making itimpossible for the hose to be coiled about the guide or to move thecover 12 to its closed position.

The electric cord 36 when disconnected from the source of current iswound about the reel 75, or looped into a hank, to the mark 77 on thecord and the reel 75 or hank is then deposited in the cord pocket 72.The loose portion of the cord 36 between the mark 77 and the The cleaneris stored in a disposed between the base 11 and the cover 12 when thelatter is closed. The arrangement of the cord pocket 72 at the lower endof the cover 12 adjacent the motorfan unit 31 in the base 11 shortens toa minimum the unstored loose length of cord 36.

The foregoing cleaning operation has been described with the cover 12closed; however, if desired, the cover may remain open, as shown inFIGURE 3, The cover 12 is maintained in very stable condition in itsopened vertical position due to its hinged connection to the base 11whereby the lower end 58 of the cover 12 is displaced below the upperedge 55 of the base 11 to lower the center of gravity of the cover whenin opened vertical position.

7 While we have shown and described but one embodiment of our invention,it is to be understood that this embodiment is to be taken asillustrative only and not in a limiting sense. We do not wish to belimited to the particular structure shown and described but to includeall equivalent variations except as limited by the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. A suction cleaner comprising a body including a base and a covertherefor, support means within said base having a suction air inletarranged substantially at the mid-portion of said support means, a hoseconnected to said suction air inlet, means on said support meansarranged with respect to said suction air inlet for supporting the hosein stored condition circumferentially about said suction air inlet insubstantially one plane Within the confines of said base independent ofsaid cover and while connected to said suction air inlet, said covermovably mounted on said base to expose said hose storing means when inopened position whereby the hose may be stored thereon, and said coverwhen in closed position arranged with respect to said base to overliesaid hose and enclose the said stored hose while connected to saidsuction air inlet.

2. A suction cleaner as described in claim 1, and said means on saidsupport means about which said hose may be coiled into its storedposition being arranged at one side of said suction air inlet and shapedto guide the initial direction of coiling said hose into its storedposition.

3. A suction cleaner as described in claim a, and said hose when in saidstored condition being coiled relative to said suction air inlet, andmeans arranged substantially tangent to and beyond the area of saidcoiled hose for receiving the free end of said coiled hose substantiallyin said plane.

4. A suction cleaner as described in claim 1, and said hose storagemeans including a closure movably mounted on said support means to formtherewith and with said base a filter chamber, a filter in said filterchamber and removable therefrom upon moving said closure hose storagemeans with respect to said support means to its open position.

5. A suction cleaner as described in claim l, and means definin" anopening between said base and cover substantially normal to said planeof the stored hose and through which the hose may extend while connectedto said suction air inlet and said cover is in its closed position.

6. A suction cleaner as described in claim 1, and means on the interiorsurface of said cover for removably supporting a plurality of surfacecleaning tools adapted to be attached to the free end of said hose.

7. A suction cleaner as described in claim ll, and hinge meansconnecting said cover to said base, a motorian unit in said baseadjacent to said hinge means, means cooperating with said cover todefine a cord pocket adjacent said hinge means, and an electric cordattached to said motor-fan unit and adapted to be coiled into said cordpocket with the uncoiied portion of the cord in the vicinity of the axisof the hinge means and extending between said pocket and at all timesconnected with said motor-fan unit.

3. A suction cleaner comprising; a body including a base and a covertherefor, suction creating means in said base, support means in saidbase and having a suction air inlet communicating with said suctioncreating means, a hose connected to said suction air inlet and having afree end adapted to receive surface cleaning tools, means on theinterior surface of said cover for removably storing a plurality of saidsurface cleaning tools to be attached to said hose, means cooperatingwith said cover to define a cord pocket on said cover, and an electriccord at all times attached to said suction creating means and adapted tobe coiled into said cord pocket.

9. A suction cleaner as described in claim 8, and said cord pocketarranged below said stored tools when 6 said cover is moved to itsopened position to expose said stored tools and coiled hose, and meansdefining an opening to said pocket for removable insertion of the coiledcord without disturbing said stored tools or hose.

iii. A suction cleaner comprising; a body including a base and a covertherefor, hinge means connected to said cover and base adjacent one ofthe ends of each thereof, suction creating means in said base adjacentits said one end, support means in said base and having a suction airinlet communicating with said suction creating means, means cooperatingwith said cover at its said one end to define a cord pocket on saidcover adjacent said hinge means, an electric cord at all times attachedto said suction creating means and having a plug at its free end adaptedto be connected to a source of current, a reel for said electric cordand about which said cord may be coiled and deposited in said pocket,and said cord adjacent the suction creating means having an indiciathereon indicating to what extent said cord should be wound on said reelto provide sufiicient loose cord for deposit of said reel into saidpocket.

11. In a suction cleaner: a body including a base and a cover therefor,hinge means connecting said cover to said base, said base having amarginal edge meeting said cover when the latter is in closed position,a motorfan unit in said base, an electric cord attached to said motonfanunit and adapted to extend over said marginal edge of said base forconnection to a source of current, means defining a cord slot in saidmarginal edge for receiving said extended cord, said hinge meansincluding an arm movabiy connected to said base below said marginal edgeand of such length as to project above and pass along said marginal edgeto said cord slot when said cover is moved to its closed position forengaging said extended cord if arranged between said hinge means andcord slot to move said extended cord into said cord slot and preventclamping said cord between said cover and said marginal edge of saidbase.

12. A suction cleaner comprising a body including a base and a covertherefor, support means within said base having a suction air inlet, ahose connected to said suction air inlet, means on said support meansarranged with respect to said suction air inlet for supporting the hosein stored condition within the confines of said base independent of saidcover and while connected to said suction air inlet, said cover movablymounted on said base to expose said hose storing means when in openedposition whereby the hose may be stored thereon, said cover when inclosed position arranged with respect to said base to overlie said hoseand enclose the said stored hose while connected to said suction airinlet, and means defining an opening between said base and cover throughwhich the hose may extend while connected to said suction air inlet andsaid cover is in its closed position, and said opening having spacedupstanding marginal walls against which said hose may abut when lateralforces are applied to said extended hose to thereby exert a lateralforce against said upstanding walls to shift the cleaner in the desireddirection.

13. A suction cleaner comprising a walled body including a base and acover for said base, support means Within said base having a suction airinlet, a hose connected to said suction air inlet, means on said supportmeans arranged with respect to said suction air inlet for supporting thehose in stored condition about said suction air inlet within theconfines of said base independent of said cover and while connected tosaid suction air inlet, said cover movably mounted on said base toexpose said hose storing means when in opened position whereby the hosemay be stored thereon, and said cover when in closed position arrangedwith respect to said base to enclose the said stored hose while it isconnects to said suction air inlet, means defining an opening in a wallportion of said walled body through which the hose may extend whileconnnected to said suction air inlet,

and a cleaner carrying handle on said body adjacent said hose openingand adapted to be grasped to carry said cleaner from place to placewhile said hose is connected to said suction air inlet and projects fromthe interior of said body through said opening.

14. A suction cleaner as described in claim 13, and said handle arrangedon a wall of said body which Wall is substantially upright when thecleaner is in operating position, whereby said cleaner is rotatedsubstantially ninety degrees when said cleeaner is lifted by said handlefrom a supporting surface and carried from place to place.

15. A suction cleaner comprising a walled body including a base and acover for said base, support means within said base having a suction airinlet, a hose connected to said suction air inlet, means on said supportmeans arranged with respect to said suction air inlet for supporting thehose in stored condition about said suction air inlet within theconfines of said base independent of said cover and while connected tosaid suction air inlet, said cover movably mounted on said base toexpose said hose storing means when in opened position whereby the hosemay be stored thereon, and said cover when in closed position arrangedwith respect to said base to enclose the said stored hose while it isconnected to said suction air inlet, means defining an opening in a wallportion of said walled body through which the hose may extend whileconnected to said suction air inlet and said cover is in its closedposition, means on the interior surface of said cover for removablysupporting a pinrality of surface cleaning tools adapted to be attachedto the free end of said hose, said hose supporting means and hoseopening arranged with respect to said tool supporting means on saidcover that said hose may project from said suction air inlet interiorlyof said body through said hose opening while said cover is in closedposition With attached tools overlying said hose connected to saidsuction air inlet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,532,177 4/25Gist. 2,049,603 8/36 Dietenberger 15-323 X 2,475,815 7/49 Burd 15-323 X3,065,308 11/62 Suyeoka 220-31 X 3,089,177 5/63 Andersson-Sason 15-323FOREIGN PATENTS 704,192 2/31 France. 973,658 9/50 France.

1,068 1/ 10 Great Britain. 669,893 4/52 Great Britain.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

1. A SUCTION CLEANER COMPRISING A BODY INCLUDING A BASE AND A COVERTHEREFOR, SUPPORT MEANS WITHIN SAID BASE HAVING A SUCTION AIR INLETARRANGED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE MID-PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT MEANS, A HOSECONNECTED TO SAID SUCTION AIR INLET, MEANS ON SAID SUPPORT MEANSARRANGED WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUCTION AIR INLET FOR SUPPORTING THE HOSEIN STORED CONDITION CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ABOUT SAID SUCTION AIR INLET INSUBSTANTIALLY ONE PLANE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID BASE INDEPENDENT OFSAID COVER AND WHILE CONNECTED TO SAID SUCTION AIR INLET, SAID COVERMOV-